Dust bag for use in a vacuum cleaner

ABSTRACT

A dust bag for vacuum cleaners including a bag shaped member of an air permeable material, adjacent to an inlet opening attachable by an adhering layer to a plate shaped member to facilitate mounting of the dust bag in an intended vacuum cleaner. The adhering layer is protected before use by a removable protective film. The adhering layer includes a number of parts joined with the bag shaped member surrounding an inlet opening, adjacently located and having an increasing distance in relation to each other from the inlet opening, each having an individual protective part of the removable protective film, preferably divided in separate segments by tear off indicates facilitating removal of individual parts of the protective film to adapt the area of resulting adhering layer to utilized plate shaped member, as well as adaption of the inlet opening by tearing off such segments together with underlying bag material. The bag shaped member has preferably a length exceeding the length of the dust bag location in the utilized vacuum cleaner.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a dust bag for use in a vacuum cleaner,i.e. a preferably bag shaped dust separating and dust collectingcontainer for a vacuum cleaner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Today, there are more than 100 different types of dust bags for vacuumcleaners on the market, which, apart from differences in size, alsoinclude in relation to each other different fixing means for attachmentof a dust bag at the intended location in each type of vacuum cleaner.The fixing means normally comprises of a rigid plastic or cardboardplate, a so called original plate, which has a configuration adapted forattachment in the intended location for a dust bag with regard to acertain type of a vacuum cleaner, also having a through hole, which,after attachment, is adapted to serve as a connecting part for the flowchannel to the vacuum cleaner. The original plate is also oftenco-acting in different ways in a functional fashion with the vacuumcleaner when the lid to the dust bag location is closed, whereby theshape of same is of even more significant importance. Sealing betweenthe original plate and the flow channel to the vacuum cleaner isaccomplished in different ways for different types of vacuum cleaners,e.g. internally against the diameter of the hole in the original plate,or level against the outer surface of same by means of a diameter thatslightly exceeds the diameter of the hole. Certain original plates arearranged having an adjacently to the hole attached and substantiallycompletely surrounding sealing member of rubber or similar, whichflexibly and sealingly surround a tubular member extending from the flowchannel into the vacuum cleaner. The design of the original plates varyconsiderably with regard to sealing means, hole diameter, outermeasurements and shape, and it is thus extremely difficult to accomplisha dust bag for vacuum cleaners which can be used universally, eventhough the need for such a universally useable dust bag for vacuumcleaners is obvious. This need is underlined by the fact that largedepartment stores only supply a small number of the most common types ofdust bags for vacuum cleaners, and that many users thereby are referredto special shops in order to obtain correct type, which obviously alsois a problem.

SE-C2-507 311, for example, discloses as previously known the use of arigid and separate plate shaped member having an opening, a bag having arigid collapsible flange at its opening and arranged to be insertedthrough the opening of the plate, and also disclosing that the surfaceof the flange acting as contact surface against the plate may bearranged with a sealing compound. This embodiment requires thatsufficient space exists for the flange by the outer plane of the plate,and does not solve the problem of required adaption to the size of theflow through hole and the geometrical shape of same.

Certain original plates have such large holes and such a holeconfiguration, or such small outside dimensions, that an attachmentsurface between the plate shaped member and the flange in such casesbecome non-existent. Accordingly, a large number of plate types and bagtypes are required in order to make the proposed solution meet existingdemands.

Another previously known alternative solution is disclosed in SE-C2-501135, which includes a bag of cloth and a front plate with non-changeabledimensions, which by means of, for example, double-sided adhesive tapecan be attached to a mounting plate, adapted for intended type of vacuumcleaner. This bag is intended to facilitate repeated use, and the endportion opposed to the front plate is closed by means of releasableadherence between the facing surfaces, in order to make opening/emptyingof the bag possible. U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,027 discloses a furtherpreviously known solution, in which an outer end portion of a bag shapedmember is arranged as a plane having an opening surrounded by aself-adhesive coating protected by a removable protective film. When theprotective film has been removed, the bag is intended to be joined to amounting plate, arranged adapted to intended model of vacuum cleaner.However, this solution has a number of disadvantages, for example, thebag is only held in position by the self-adhesive layer, which resultsin an obvious risk for disengagement of he bag from the mounting plate,particularly when used in connection with modern vacuum cleaners havinglarge suction effect. The fact that the bag is predetermined to acertain diameter also means that same can not be used for applicationsrequiring a larger hole diameter. Furthermore, the size of theself-adhesive layer can not be changed and adapted to the area of themounting plate, e.g. when same has a smaller hole than the hole in thebag, a fact that further increases the risk for disengagement of the bagfrom the mounting plate when used. As a result of such a situation, dustand other impurities collected by the bag would be sucked into the fanmeans and the motor, and a user would normally be forced to leave thevacuum cleaner to a repair shop for cleaning and service.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to disclose a dust bag for vacuumcleaners of an extremely universal type, which is easily adapted to mostexisting types of vacuum cleaners, and which also makes certain that therisk for release of dust and other impurities during use issubstantially completely eliminated. A further object of the presentinvention is to disclose a dust bag for vacuum cleaners which in a fastand simple fashion can be adapted to desired type of vacuum cleaner andoriginal plate.

The dust bag for a vacuum cleaner according to the present inventioncomprises a bag shaped member of an air permeable material, adjacent toan inlet opening arranged to be joined by means of an adhering layer toa plate shaped member adapted to facilitate mounting of the dust bag inintended vacuum cleaner, and having the adhering layer protected beforeuse by a removable protective film, and it is mainly characterized inthat the area of said adhering layer is adjustable by means of a numberof parts joined with the bag shaped member surrounding an intended orexisting inlet opening, adjacently located and having an increasingdistance in relation to each other from the inlet opening, each parthaving an individual protective part of the removable protective film,which preferably are divided in separate segments by means of tear offindications facilitating removal of individual parts of the protectivefilm in order to adapt the area of resulting adhering layer to utilizedplate shaped member.

The tear off indications in the protective film are preferably arrangedcompletely or partly extending through underlying adhering layer at thebag shaped member, whereby resulting segments completely or partly canbe removed together with underlying bag material when adjusting theshape, size and/or position of the inlet opening. The free length of thebag shaped member is advantageously arranged to exceed the length of thelocation intended for the bag in order to cause a support for the closedend portion of the bag shaped member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A number of non-restricting examples of embodiments of a dust bag forvacuum cleaners according to the present invention will be more fullydescribed below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a first embodiment ofa dust bag for vacuum cleaners according to the invention, part of whichis shown in an enlarged scale;

FIG. 2 shows schematically how a dust bag for vacuum cleaners accordingto the present invention takes up support by means of its rear endportion against existing wall in the location for a dust bag within avacuum cleaner;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a second embodimentof a dust bag for vacuum cleaners according to the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view intended to illustrate an example of howadjustment of the adhesive area can be carried out for the example of anembodiment shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIG. 1, a dust separating bag shaped member of airprevious material, e.g. paper, as a complete unit referred to as 1. Acircular inlet opening 2 is arranged surrounded by a number ofself-adhesive concentrically arranged ring shaped members 3, having asuccessively increasing diameter in relation to each other, each onehaving the self-adhesive outer layer protected by a removable protectivefilm 4, 4′, 4″.

An underlying self-adhesive member 3 is shown in FIG. 1 with part of theremovable protective film shown in a partly removed position.

The self-adhesive and concentrically arranged ring shaped members 3 are,as shown, preferably arranged with tear off indications 5, beingradially extending cut through slots, which preferably do not completelydivide the ring shaped members 3 into individual segments, i.e. with anon-divided portion remaining. The object of this is to simplify removalof the protective film 4, 4′, 4″ without affecting the unity of the ringshaped members 3.

The object of the tear off indications 5 is to transfer to theunderlying and permanently fixed fairly weak bag material a tear offfunction in such a way, that both the rings 3, or parts thereof, as wellas underlying bag material, simultaneously can be torn off in a simplefashion, in order to adjust the shape and size of the inlet opening 2 todesired configuration.

When used, an original plate 6 from a dust bag 1 intended for the vacuumcleaner is advantageously used, or alternatively may such a plate shapedmember 6 be supplied as an accessory to a dust bag for vacuum cleanersaccording to the invention. The latter solution facilitates supply of aplate shaped member 6 well adapted for repeated use, e.g. made of hardplastic or surface coated cardboard and thus easy to clean. Providedthat, when compared, the hole diameter of the plate shaped member 6 doesnot exceed the hole diameter of the inlet opening 2, the protective film4, 4′, 4″ is removed from the rings or segments which are covered by theplate shaped member, which thereafter is pressed against theself-adhesive surfaces made available. Since desired segments of theself-adhesive layer can be made available, a self-adhesive surface ofmaximum size can be achieved, while the areas of the self-adhesive layeroutside the plate shaped member 6 still are being protected by theprotective film 4, 4′, 4″. As a result, in difference to the solutionwhich for example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,027, no problemswill occur due to adherence when the dust bag 1 with associated plateshaped member 6 are fitted into a vacuum cleaner.

Should the hole diameter of the plate shaped member 6 exceed thediameter of the inlet opening 2, or should the location of same bedisplaced in such a way that same is restricted by a portion adjacent tothe edge portion of the inlet opening 2, adjustment is easilyaccomplished by tearing off ring shaped members 3, or parts thereof,together with underlying bag material. The protective film 4, 4′, 4″ isthereafter removed with regard to those segments which are covered bythe plate shaped member 6 in order to accomplish an adhering surface ofmaximum size, whereafter same is joined to the plate shaped member 6.Accordingly, this facilitates adjustment to a larger hole diameter, aswell as adjustment with regard to the location of a hole existing in theplate shaped member 6.

Even though the method described above to maximize the adhering surfacebetween the plate shaped member 6 and the dust bag 1 results inestablishment of an optimally strong joint, total security is notaccomplished for maintaining the established joint during use,particularly when used in connection with vacuum cleaners having strongsuction effect, in view of the pressure drop which occurs when the airpermeability for the material of the dust bag 1 is reduced due tofilling up by dust or similar.

However, necessary security can, as shown in FIG. 2, be accomplished bymaking the free length Lu of the dust bag 1 (FIG. 1) exceeding themaximum length Lb of the space into which the dust bag 1 is intended tobe located. According to the invention, Lu is preferably in the regionof 1.2×Lb, and as a result, the closed end portion of the dust bag 1will take up support against a wall surface 7 existing in the vacuumcleaner, resulting not only in a support for the dust bag 1, but alsosecuring that the pressure drop caused by the bag material creates anintemally acting force in all directions, which also increases thepressure of the self-adhesive area against the plate shaped member 6.The combination of a maximum size self-adhesive surface and the abovementioned added pressure during use results in complete security againstrelease for the established self-adhesive joint during use.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the inlet opening 2 is arrangedcircular and having surrounding circular ring shaped members 3. Alsoother configurations can be chosen as desired, and an example of analternative embodiment is shown in FIG. 3. Previously used referencenumerals for parts included in FIG. 1 have been used for parts having acorresponding function in FIG. 3.

Accordingly, FIG. 3 shows a bag shaped member 1 of air previous materialhaving a square inlet opening 2, which is surrounded by self-adhesiveparts 3, protected by a removable protective film 4, 4′, 4″, andincluding tear off indication 5. Obviously, the shape and position ofthe inlet opening 2 can be adjusted by removal of chosen parts of theself-adhesive parts 3 together with underlying bag material, and thatthe protective film 4, 4′, 4″ can be removed with respect to desiredremaining segments, whereby a self-adhesive surface of maximum size isaccomplished in relation to the plate shaped member against which thebag shaped member 1 is intended to be joined.

An example of this, shown with use of the embodiment of FIG. 1, is shownin FIG. 4. The plate shaped member 6 is shown in broken lines, and thesegments of the self-adhesive layer from which the film has beenremoved, are indicated by triangles.

An example of a further modification of the dust bag 1 for vacuumcleaners according to the present invention is also shown in FIG. 3. Aspreviously mentioned, the dust bag 1 according to the invention ispreferably arranged having such a length, that a force is created duringuse which applies a pressure forcing the dust bag 1 against the attachedplate shaped member 6. Since the width of the space available for thebag in certain vacuum cleaners may be rather large, and thus not resultin a support preventing expansion in sideways directions, this problemcan be resolved by arranging the dust bag 1 having a surrounding netshaped stocking 8, arranged to restrict diametrical expansion of thedust bag 1. Said net shaped stocking can be arranged completely orpartly surrounding the bag shaped member 1, integrated with same orremovably applied to same. The actual bag material can obviously also bearranged with a suitable type of reinforcement integrated with the wallsurfaces of the bag 1, e.g. intermediately located between an outer andan inside layer, in order to accomplish a corresponding result.

With regard to all described examples of embodiments within the scope ofthe invention, it has been stated that the dust bag includes an inletopening 2, the size of which can be modified. However, it is obviouslyalso within the scope of the invention that such an inlet opening 2 maysubstantially be non-existent, and that same is created by the user. Insuch a case, the surface whereagainst the plate shaped member isintended to be attached can be arranged with a large number ofself-adhesive segments 3 of desired and suitable shape, arranged tofacilitate removal as required by a user, and arranged to facilitatecreation of a suitably located inlet opening 2 having a size adapted tothe hole in the plate shaped member.

Self-adhesive parts 3 can also be supplied as separate elements togetherwith a dust bag 1 for vacuum cleaners, intended to be applied in desiredposition by a user.

A joining layer of thin paper or similar can also be arranged betweenthe dust bag 1 and the self-adhesive parts 3, provided that same hassuch properties that previously discussed adaption by simultaneousremoval of self-adhesive parts 3 and bag material is not influenced.

Shown and described examples of embodiments are obviously not to beregarded as restricting the invention, since further modifications arepossible within the scope of the inventive thought and the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. Dust bag for vacuum cleaners comprising a bagshaped member of an air permeable material, an inlet opening arranged tobe joined by an adhering layer to a plate shaped member adapted tofacilitate mounting of the dust bag in a vacuum cleaner, and theadhering layer being protected before use by a removable protectivefilm, an area of said adhering layer being adjustable and surroundingthe inlet opening, parts of said area having an increasing distance inrelation to each other from the inlet opening, each said part having anindividual protective part of the removable protective film, divided inseparate segments by tear off indications facilitating removal ofindividual parts of the protective film to adapt the area of theadhering layer to the plate shaped member.
 2. Dust bag for vacuumcleaners according to claim 1, wherein the tear off indications in theprotective film at least partly extend through the adhering layer at thebag shaped member, and resulting segments of the tear off indications atleast partly are removed together with bag material when adapting atleast one of a shape, size and position of the inlet opening.
 3. Dustbag for vacuum cleaners according to claim 1, wherein a total freelength of the bag shaped member is arranged to exceed a length of a baglocation to obtain support for a closed end portion of the bag shapedmember.
 4. Dust bag for vacuum cleaners according to claim 3, wherein arelationship between the total free length (Lu) of the bag shaped memberand the length of the bag location (Lb) is not less than Lu=1.2×Lb. 5.Dust bag for vacuum cleaners according to claim 1, wherein adjustment ofat least one of a configuration and a size of the inlet opening is doneby tearing off operation together with underlying supporting material ofthe bag shaped member.
 6. Dust bag for vacuum cleaners according toclaim 1, wherein at least one of a configuration and a size of the inletopening is adjustable.
 7. Dust bag for vacuum cleaners according toclaim 1, wherein the bag shaped member includes a restricting member,extending at least partly in a longitudinal direction of the bag shapedmember.
 8. Dust bag for vacuum cleaners according to claim 1, whereinthe adhering layer comprises a number of concentrically arranged ringshaped members.